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Twixt
You wake upon the cold ground. As you struggle to rise, as your breath exhales like a ghost, you know only two things: You can’t remember who you are. And you’re being hunted.
No one sleeps in Abeo City. The lost souls gather indoors at night as Snatchers tear through the sky on black-feathered wings, stalking them. But inside the rotting walls of the Safe Houses comes a quieter, creeping danger. The people of Abeo City have forgotten their pasts, and they can trade locks of their hair to sinister women known only as the Sixers for an addictive drug. Nox will give you back a single memory--for a price.
Like the other lost souls, Lottie wakens in this harsh landscape and runs in terror from the Snatchers. But she soon comes to realize that she is not at all like the people of Abeo City. When she takes Nox, her memories remain a mystery, and the monsters who fill the sky at night refuse to snatch her. Trying to understand who she is, and how she ended up in such a hopeless place, Lottie bands together with other outcasts, including a brave and lovely girl named Charlie. In the darkness, and despite the threat of a monstrous end, love begins to grow. But as Lottie and Charlie plot their escape from Abeo City, Lottie’s dark secrets begin to surface, along with the disturbing truth about Twixt: a truth that could cost her everything.
No one sleeps in Abeo City. The lost souls gather indoors at night as Snatchers tear through the sky on black-feathered wings, stalking them. But inside the rotting walls of the Safe Houses comes a quieter, creeping danger. The people of Abeo City have forgotten their pasts, and they can trade locks of their hair to sinister women known only as the Sixers for an addictive drug. Nox will give you back a single memory--for a price.
Like the other lost souls, Lottie wakens in this harsh landscape and runs in terror from the Snatchers. But she soon comes to realize that she is not at all like the people of Abeo City. When she takes Nox, her memories remain a mystery, and the monsters who fill the sky at night refuse to snatch her. Trying to understand who she is, and how she ended up in such a hopeless place, Lottie bands together with other outcasts, including a brave and lovely girl named Charlie. In the darkness, and despite the threat of a monstrous end, love begins to grow. But as Lottie and Charlie plot their escape from Abeo City, Lottie’s dark secrets begin to surface, along with the disturbing truth about Twixt: a truth that could cost her everything.
238 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
19 people are currently reading
2349 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Diemer
27 books800 followersI write about heroic, magical girls who love girls. YA author of Golden Crown Award-winning THE DARK WIFE (the lesbian, YA retelling of the Persephone myth) and TWIXT and co-author, with my amazing wife, author Jennifer Diemer, of Project Unicorn: A Lesbian YA Extravaganza.
http://www.MuseRising.com
http://www.MuseRising.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
October 18, 2018
I contain multitudes.
Spookapalooza part 2 - witchy buddies strike again!
I must admit this was a tad too mild for me, but I still enjoyed the story a lot. It was really deep and emotional; I liked how it was developed more than how it was presented if you get what I mean, but the entire concept is interesting and the idea of what it could have been, is probably what kept me reading from start to end with the same amount of enthusiasm.
I'm not giving it 3 stars because the twists and plot were a little too predictable, and because it was a bit boring.
A bonus star, though, goes to the sweet girls-supporting-and-loving-girls subplot.
Soooooo lovely!
May 10, 2016
I love everything I've read by Sarah Diemer. Her writing is an art form and she has an imagination that appears to have no limits.
December 31, 2017
This was an original concept with a truly surprising plot twist. The author has a gift for description, and she built the world and the characters beautifully. It’s hard to review without spoilers, but it’s a mystery/fantasy story that has some horror elements and a lovely f/f romance.
June 22, 2013
"You wake upon the cold ground. As you struggle to rise, as your breath exhales like a ghost, you know only two things: You can't remember who you are. And you're being hunted."
In addition to being a great summary of our starting point, the above quote from the book description gives a glimpse of the tense, foreboding atmosphere that permeates Sarah Diemer's Twixt. One nameless first person narrator has little time to register her strange, cold surroundings, the blood on her hands or the fear coursing through her before a young woman suddenly arrives and urges her to run. It's almost night, and that means the Snatchers are coming...
Twixt was recommended to me by a friend and I didn't know anything going in, and as that's how I'd recommend experiencing it I won't get into plot details. I will say it starts strong and builds wonderfully throughout. The writing style is tremendous and the atmosphere established downright chilling. The strange world our heroine finds herself in is fantastically imaginative and vividly realized. Even elements common to this genre are given a little slant of context that makes them feel new.
The story, characters and world all convey emotional impact throughout the book, perfectly capturing the appropriate "in over your head" feeling. I was a step ahead on figuring out some of the book's mysteries, but other twists and turns were unexpected and they all fit logically and worked to support and enhance the story being told. The variety of characters presented also really adds to the narrative, as we are shown several different points of view on the state of life in Twixt. Encountering numerous attitudes and people ranging from deep to shallow and several shades in between also adds a great feeling of authenticity to the rather unusual setting and events.
While romantic elements obviously aren't uncommon in any type of novel, I've read very few where the romance feels completely natural. Twixt manages this with a perfect touch, with it's characters' emotions easy to relate to and deftly related to the reader. I was tempted not to bring up one of the main pairings is between two young women, as one of the wonderful things here is that relationship being treated as perfectly normal and not requiring further mention or explanation, but it is something I'm sure some readers would rather know ahead of time and since the book description contains this information too I decided to mention it.
Speaking of the book description - it doesn't really have spoilers but it does summarize a bit more than I personally would like and I'm kind of glad I didn't read it before the book. If you haven't seen it already I'd recommend skipping it.
Twixt is easily one of the best paranormal stories I've read and can be appreciated well beyond it's intended YA audience.
Highly recommended.
In addition to being a great summary of our starting point, the above quote from the book description gives a glimpse of the tense, foreboding atmosphere that permeates Sarah Diemer's Twixt. One nameless first person narrator has little time to register her strange, cold surroundings, the blood on her hands or the fear coursing through her before a young woman suddenly arrives and urges her to run. It's almost night, and that means the Snatchers are coming...
Twixt was recommended to me by a friend and I didn't know anything going in, and as that's how I'd recommend experiencing it I won't get into plot details. I will say it starts strong and builds wonderfully throughout. The writing style is tremendous and the atmosphere established downright chilling. The strange world our heroine finds herself in is fantastically imaginative and vividly realized. Even elements common to this genre are given a little slant of context that makes them feel new.
The story, characters and world all convey emotional impact throughout the book, perfectly capturing the appropriate "in over your head" feeling. I was a step ahead on figuring out some of the book's mysteries, but other twists and turns were unexpected and they all fit logically and worked to support and enhance the story being told. The variety of characters presented also really adds to the narrative, as we are shown several different points of view on the state of life in Twixt. Encountering numerous attitudes and people ranging from deep to shallow and several shades in between also adds a great feeling of authenticity to the rather unusual setting and events.
While romantic elements obviously aren't uncommon in any type of novel, I've read very few where the romance feels completely natural. Twixt manages this with a perfect touch, with it's characters' emotions easy to relate to and deftly related to the reader. I was tempted not to bring up one of the main pairings is between two young women, as one of the wonderful things here is that relationship being treated as perfectly normal and not requiring further mention or explanation, but it is something I'm sure some readers would rather know ahead of time and since the book description contains this information too I decided to mention it.
Speaking of the book description - it doesn't really have spoilers but it does summarize a bit more than I personally would like and I'm kind of glad I didn't read it before the book. If you haven't seen it already I'd recommend skipping it.
Twixt is easily one of the best paranormal stories I've read and can be appreciated well beyond it's intended YA audience.
Highly recommended.
February 13, 2017
Not that I ever doubted Sarah's writing but um... Twixt didn't just surpass my expectations, it ran past them like a marathon sprinter?? Twixt is a beautiful beautiful tale of coming to terms with something horrible and heartbreaking and love and loss and it was equal parts spooky and soft and I can't even find the right words to emphasize how good it was but it was SO! GOOD!!!!!. And perhaps some people won't like the ending (since it was a bit... abrupt and vague) but I actually quite like it: no one really knows what happens THEN and AFTER and everyone has a different concept of it but the way it was written and described was so bright and pure I think it's safe to say we can all believe it's something good - we're just free to interpret it however we want as long as it makes us happy and satisfied. Anyway the characters were amazing, Lottie and Charlie's scenes made me weep with joy, Violet was the sweetest of souls, Edward just restored my faith in fictional boys (meaning he was funny and fun to read and I thoroughly enjoyed his character and couldn't find a single flaw to pick at) and the story is to die for. I'm so glad Twixt was my first book of 2017 and I can't wait to get my grabby gay hands on the rest of Sarah's books ♡
March 16, 2020
Twixt has an interesting plotline, but the execution fails to bring it to life. I'm not talking about the writing or the story structure, since those are done right for a story like this. Sarah Diemer has great strength in creating intriguing concepts and giving stories atmospheric tones, and it's all shown here. That said, let's address the real problem: Lottie and her romance with Charlie.
After finishing Twixt, I have real trouble describing Lottie. She has no personality besides 2 traits: being empathic and emotional. It's bad enough that Lottie is crucial to the plot, but it gets worse when I realize Meanwhile, Charlie is stuck with being perfect, too good for this world, which in my book just means boring. With the heroines being stale characters, the sudden romance is the final nail to the coffin. By the time the setting was established enough for the plot to arrive (which is around the 100th page), my attention span was getting pretty low. It doesn't help when I realized the romance being so intense in such a short time is probably the result of Diemer needing strong supports who believe Lottie when she reveals the truth.
It's a true pity. Everything about Twixt is good except the heroines and their romance. But since Lottie is the central character and the romance is an important part of the final solution in the climax, the whole story is dragged down. The final result is, sadly, a lot of wasted potentials.
After finishing Twixt, I have real trouble describing Lottie. She has no personality besides 2 traits: being empathic and emotional. It's bad enough that Lottie is crucial to the plot, but it gets worse when I realize Meanwhile, Charlie is stuck with being perfect, too good for this world, which in my book just means boring. With the heroines being stale characters, the sudden romance is the final nail to the coffin. By the time the setting was established enough for the plot to arrive (which is around the 100th page), my attention span was getting pretty low. It doesn't help when I realized the romance being so intense in such a short time is probably the result of Diemer needing strong supports who believe Lottie when she reveals the truth.
It's a true pity. Everything about Twixt is good except the heroines and their romance. But since Lottie is the central character and the romance is an important part of the final solution in the climax, the whole story is dragged down. The final result is, sadly, a lot of wasted potentials.
April 25, 2019
I was all set to praise this speculative fiction read to the skies, but then the ending happened. Don’t get me wrong, it was the ending you’d expect, but there were vital parts missing, it was rushed and lacklustre and gave off quite the pungent whiff of writer fatigue syndrome. Which would be fine for a draft, but this was the second edition of a published work, and it is such a shame, I nearly wept with frustration. It’s killing me to say this because this story has so much potential, it’s so creative and colourful and sweet and horror-filled and downright lovely. The Vurt saga by Jeff Noon, Weaveworld by Clive Barker, and American McGee's Alice all come to mind. I loved the concept of Twixt and the Sixers, the sly doubling and x’ing, the feather drug Nox and the method of paying for it, the knowing winks to mythological concepts, and even the grounding in established Christian tradition. What I didn’t like was the sometimes repetitive use of imagery (I swear a character ”bit her lip” or ”cleared her throat” in every other paragraph, and then there were the clawing trees—a great image to start with, made weaker by the constant banging on about it), and some inconsistencies which in the end I found it hard to swallow. What I did like was the narrative energy, the verve, the way the author kept me invested as a reader. I’ll be reading more of her stories, for sure; I just wish I could have been a little less equivocal about this one. It’s mostly wonderful, but… Let’s leave it at that.
October 29, 2017
I would say that I loved this book. The author surely had to put a lot of thoughts into it, from the superb worldbuilding, that I, have to admit, wasn't really expecting, to the plot that was pretty neat. Reading Twixt was definitely an interesting experience that I surely would love to go through again, with all of those plot-twixts and almost dreamy storytelling. Even that first person style that I honestly dislike was, in the end, pretty fitting.
And now, why didn't I give Twixt full stars, if I liked it that much?
My reason is pretty suprising, given that my friend always make fun of me that my rating is like "It's gay, 60/10."
It's just... I see a pattern in Sarah Diemer's books. Not that I've read so many, having read only The Dark Wife and Sappho's Fables, which she wrote under her pen name, but it's unavoidable to see the similarities.
Yep, I'm talking about the main character and her love interest and no, I don't mean that they are lesbians, which, of course, they are, Harrold.
It's just... one of the pair is always the more girly girl who can kick asses but needs her time to do that, and the second is the one with more experience in... things... And the love is mostly on the first sight, which is a trope that I honestly hate.
Also, the sex scene. Oh my god, they all seem the same to me. I'm so, so sorry, but I really hope, that her later books have already dealt with this problem.
Anyway, this book is good, go read it :D
And now, why didn't I give Twixt full stars, if I liked it that much?
My reason is pretty suprising, given that my friend always make fun of me that my rating is like "It's gay, 60/10."
It's just... I see a pattern in Sarah Diemer's books. Not that I've read so many, having read only The Dark Wife and Sappho's Fables, which she wrote under her pen name, but it's unavoidable to see the similarities.
Yep, I'm talking about the main character and her love interest and no, I don't mean that they are lesbians, which, of course, they are, Harrold.
It's just... one of the pair is always the more girly girl who can kick asses but needs her time to do that, and the second is the one with more experience in... things... And the love is mostly on the first sight, which is a trope that I honestly hate.
Also, the sex scene. Oh my god, they all seem the same to me. I'm so, so sorry, but I really hope, that her later books have already dealt with this problem.
Anyway, this book is good, go read it :D
June 5, 2016
I've read a few things by Sarah in the past and that made me want to read this story. I like her twist on LGBT science fiction. She's very creative with her stories.
This story was a little choppy, in terms of writing style in this novel. I had no clue where it was headed, but it kept me interested and entertained. The characters and plot grabbed my attention right away, but it's not a hard or long read. The story unfolds slowly and by the end you have a greater understanding of the whole universe she creates.
I do wish the end would have been a bit more explained. It felt a bit rushed toward the end. I wasn't left with questions, but I wanted a little more detail in the final moments.
This story was a little choppy, in terms of writing style in this novel. I had no clue where it was headed, but it kept me interested and entertained. The characters and plot grabbed my attention right away, but it's not a hard or long read. The story unfolds slowly and by the end you have a greater understanding of the whole universe she creates.
I do wish the end would have been a bit more explained. It felt a bit rushed toward the end. I wasn't left with questions, but I wanted a little more detail in the final moments.
August 12, 2013
Lesbehonest...
March 13, 2019
I read this book cause it was the March to read book on the Lesbian book club. I read a bunch of Sarah Diemer / Bridget Essex books before this one, and I really liked this one. I find most of her books enjoyable to read (eventhough I'm a big fan of her Knight Legends and the Sullivan Vampires)
This book is slightly different from her other books, cause were I have the feeling in her other books the romance is always the main point of the book and the rest of the story is kinda "lingering" in the background. In this book I really felt it was all about the story and the girls happen to be lesbians.
At the beginning I thought the pacing of the book was kinda slowish, but soon it picked up a nice groove and I didn't wanted to put it down. I was constantly wondering what this world could be, and to be fair I wouldn't have expected this when the truth was revealed.
The book keeps going strong all over, but I really felt the ending was a bit rushed. The whole world was so nicely layed out, with a nice backstory and all, and the ending just felt kinda cheap.
Overall I really enjoyed reading it!
This book is slightly different from her other books, cause were I have the feeling in her other books the romance is always the main point of the book and the rest of the story is kinda "lingering" in the background. In this book I really felt it was all about the story and the girls happen to be lesbians.
At the beginning I thought the pacing of the book was kinda slowish, but soon it picked up a nice groove and I didn't wanted to put it down. I was constantly wondering what this world could be, and to be fair I wouldn't have expected this when the truth was revealed.
The book keeps going strong all over, but I really felt the ending was a bit rushed. The whole world was so nicely layed out, with a nice backstory and all, and the ending just felt kinda cheap.
Overall I really enjoyed reading it!
January 21, 2016
I wanted to like this book, but it just ended up being a disappointment.
At first it seemed like the main relationship was building up in a natural way, which was great because my life needs more female/female relationships, but then suddenly boom they were SO IN LOVE and it was like wait what. I know that can happen but here it just seemed like bad writing because it was never clear why Charlie liked Lottie? Especially why she liked her enough not to back off after finding out the truth about her.
Speaking of which, I was disappointed by the way the big reveal/twist played out. I kind of suspected at least part of it from early on, but the rest of it just ended up being weird and slightly confusing. Without memories, it was still a bit unclear exactly why Lottie was different from the others like her.
Before the reveal, I got Maze Runner vibes? These people trapped in a place but they don't know why and have made up Capitalized Words to describe what happens there, they're hunted down by monsters at night, and then one day someone Special shows up. And yet, it didn't feel like the characters already in Twixt questioned what was going on and this world as much as they should have. They just kind of accepted that that was life for them now, even though the memories they got back were obviously of another world. It made it a bit harder for me to accept the world and invest in the story- what were the people in Twixt really living for apart from their memories?
I was also not the biggest fan of the writing style. I don't mind first person in general but first person present tense always reads weird to me (you're narrating your life as it happens?). And even though I assume it was meant to get you closer to Lottie and give the story more urgency, it didn't do either of those things for me. Also the amount of times Charlie ran her hand through her hair or had her eyes/look described as brown (we get it!) was a bit ridiculous.
The library only had one copy of this book so even though it was covered in powder (hopefully?) I kept reading only to find out that pages 221-224 were missing (the first half of the final chapter). I can kind of guess what happened, and I don't think having those pages would have changed my mind on anything (including how rushed the ending was?), but it certainly didn't help my disappointment.
I think the author had good ideas- I do like the exploration of this kind of supernatural stuff, but the writing and character building fell flat for me (having characters without memories probably doesn't help). I think if the story had been a bit longer and more work had been done to really flesh out at least the main relationship, this could have been better.
At first it seemed like the main relationship was building up in a natural way, which was great because my life needs more female/female relationships, but then suddenly boom they were SO IN LOVE and it was like wait what. I know that can happen but here it just seemed like bad writing because it was never clear why Charlie liked Lottie? Especially why she liked her enough not to back off after finding out the truth about her.
Speaking of which, I was disappointed by the way the big reveal/twist played out. I kind of suspected at least part of it from early on, but the rest of it just ended up being weird and slightly confusing. Without memories, it was still a bit unclear exactly why Lottie was different from the others like her.
Before the reveal, I got Maze Runner vibes? These people trapped in a place but they don't know why and have made up Capitalized Words to describe what happens there, they're hunted down by monsters at night, and then one day someone Special shows up. And yet, it didn't feel like the characters already in Twixt questioned what was going on and this world as much as they should have. They just kind of accepted that that was life for them now, even though the memories they got back were obviously of another world. It made it a bit harder for me to accept the world and invest in the story- what were the people in Twixt really living for apart from their memories?
I was also not the biggest fan of the writing style. I don't mind first person in general but first person present tense always reads weird to me (you're narrating your life as it happens?). And even though I assume it was meant to get you closer to Lottie and give the story more urgency, it didn't do either of those things for me. Also the amount of times Charlie ran her hand through her hair or had her eyes/look described as brown (we get it!) was a bit ridiculous.
The library only had one copy of this book so even though it was covered in powder (hopefully?) I kept reading only to find out that pages 221-224 were missing (the first half of the final chapter). I can kind of guess what happened, and I don't think having those pages would have changed my mind on anything (including how rushed the ending was?), but it certainly didn't help my disappointment.
I think the author had good ideas- I do like the exploration of this kind of supernatural stuff, but the writing and character building fell flat for me (having characters without memories probably doesn't help). I think if the story had been a bit longer and more work had been done to really flesh out at least the main relationship, this could have been better.
June 7, 2013
Twixt is a moving, beautifully told tale about redemption and whether one can ever truly be beyond hope of said redemption. Diemer has definitely developed and improved her writing since The Dark Wife. Not to say the aforementioned novel is bad, because it certainly isn’t, but there’s a marked difference in how that novel read compared to this one, and it’s all an improvement.
At the core of the story is a mystery, or actually several. Who is the girl who woke up in the snow, covered in blood? Where did she come from? Why can’t she remember her past, even with the help of something to remind her? How does Abeo City operate, what are the creatures who terrorize the City and snatch away its residents, where do they take them?
All of these questions are answered in time, and the way Diemer builds upon the mystery and delivers the answers is especially satisfying. This is due also to the terrific world building in the novel. It’s honestly some of the most creative world building I’ve seen. There are so many layers to Abeo City and its residents and creatures that I’m still thinking about the world a week after I’ve finished the book.
Added to that, Diemer manages to capture a great atmosphere in her writing about Abeo City. There’s always a steady sense of unease present in the text, even when the characters are happy, and the City is incredibly creepy.
Granted, it is a little easy to guess what exactly Abeo City is after a while. But for the most part, Diemer keeps the reader guessing, and the eventual reveal of what the City is and how it came to be more than made up for how obvious it was where the characters are.
If there were any downside to the novel, it’s that the main couple do veer perilously close to insta-love. Diemer, for the most part, avoids it a little by having there be a mutual attraction instead of immediate love. But it does progress at a fast rate, due to the short length of the novel. Still, the relationship was sweet, and I also enjoyed Lottie’s relationships with the rest of the cast, who all get their moments to shine.
This book reminded me of why Diemer is one of my favourite authors, and why I’ll read anything she puts out. She’s just so good, and her stories are always wonderful. Twixt is no different.
See more of my reviews at On The Nightstand!
At the core of the story is a mystery, or actually several. Who is the girl who woke up in the snow, covered in blood? Where did she come from? Why can’t she remember her past, even with the help of something to remind her? How does Abeo City operate, what are the creatures who terrorize the City and snatch away its residents, where do they take them?
All of these questions are answered in time, and the way Diemer builds upon the mystery and delivers the answers is especially satisfying. This is due also to the terrific world building in the novel. It’s honestly some of the most creative world building I’ve seen. There are so many layers to Abeo City and its residents and creatures that I’m still thinking about the world a week after I’ve finished the book.
Added to that, Diemer manages to capture a great atmosphere in her writing about Abeo City. There’s always a steady sense of unease present in the text, even when the characters are happy, and the City is incredibly creepy.
Granted, it is a little easy to guess what exactly Abeo City is after a while. But for the most part, Diemer keeps the reader guessing, and the eventual reveal of what the City is and how it came to be more than made up for how obvious it was where the characters are.
If there were any downside to the novel, it’s that the main couple do veer perilously close to insta-love. Diemer, for the most part, avoids it a little by having there be a mutual attraction instead of immediate love. But it does progress at a fast rate, due to the short length of the novel. Still, the relationship was sweet, and I also enjoyed Lottie’s relationships with the rest of the cast, who all get their moments to shine.
This book reminded me of why Diemer is one of my favourite authors, and why I’ll read anything she puts out. She’s just so good, and her stories are always wonderful. Twixt is no different.
See more of my reviews at On The Nightstand!
May 25, 2015
(My actual rating for this book is 2.5, or it would be, if Goodreads would just implement half-stars. Alas.)
I wanted to like this. I really did. Lesbian YA is something we SO need more of in the world, rather desperately.
The pacing was good, the prose just the right mix of stark and lyrical (although with an overdramatic flair that Diemer's writing tends to have as a trademark, so I'm never quite sure whether to be critical or tolerant of it). The characters were a tad towards the two-dimensional side, especially Lottie, the narrator, and the affection between Lottie and Charlie just seemed to pop into the narrative mostly unannounced, but all in all, I was enjoying it.
(I also very much liked that there was no big deal about Lottie's attraction to Charlie -- the fact that they were gay was secondary to the fact that they fancied each other. I'm all for queer visibility in my books, but sometimes I think the best way to do this is to show, not tell, and to show it like you would a hetero romance -- this story did that well.)
Around chapter 5, suddenly, things began to unravel. The pacing went haywire, Lottie and Charlie were inexplicably "in love" despite having no chemistry or conflict to knit them together, the tension, both macro and micro, vanished like a sigh in a roaring wind, the climax was rushed and seemed terribly, terribly unfinished. Lottie's reasons for going from a soul-eating monster to guilty not-soul-eating monster were never expanded, which was a pity; I think exploring this could have made her a well-fleshed out character instead of the mostly two-dimensional one she is.
I was enveloped in the book for the first five chapters, for the rest I kind of felt like I was only half-watching something passingly interesting on television. It was disappointing, because it started off beautifully.
I wanted to like this. I really did. Lesbian YA is something we SO need more of in the world, rather desperately.
The pacing was good, the prose just the right mix of stark and lyrical (although with an overdramatic flair that Diemer's writing tends to have as a trademark, so I'm never quite sure whether to be critical or tolerant of it). The characters were a tad towards the two-dimensional side, especially Lottie, the narrator, and the affection between Lottie and Charlie just seemed to pop into the narrative mostly unannounced, but all in all, I was enjoying it.
(I also very much liked that there was no big deal about Lottie's attraction to Charlie -- the fact that they were gay was secondary to the fact that they fancied each other. I'm all for queer visibility in my books, but sometimes I think the best way to do this is to show, not tell, and to show it like you would a hetero romance -- this story did that well.)
Around chapter 5, suddenly, things began to unravel. The pacing went haywire, Lottie and Charlie were inexplicably "in love" despite having no chemistry or conflict to knit them together, the tension, both macro and micro, vanished like a sigh in a roaring wind, the climax was rushed and seemed terribly, terribly unfinished. Lottie's reasons for going from a soul-eating monster to guilty not-soul-eating monster were never expanded, which was a pity; I think exploring this could have made her a well-fleshed out character instead of the mostly two-dimensional one she is.
I was enveloped in the book for the first five chapters, for the rest I kind of felt like I was only half-watching something passingly interesting on television. It was disappointing, because it started off beautifully.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2013
First off, I love this cover. It's gorgeous and makes me want to pick the book up. Kudos for that!
This was one of the most original fantasy stories I've read in a long time. There wasn't a moment where I was thinking how it was kinda like this book or that book. Even though the book is a novel, it read like a short story to me. I say this both because of how fast the book moved and because of some undefinable characteristic. It just 'felt' like a short story.
The world of Twixt is wonderfully inventive with creepy creatures and strange overlords who rule over a scared group of people who call themselves sleepers. None of them know where they are or how they got there. Of course everything changes when the main character is found. Doesn't it always?
The beginning is a little slow and confusing because you are thrown into this new world with the character and have to learn everything with her. As she learns more and more the pace picks up and it becomes a true page turner.
And the love story? Personally, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of it. What's there is beautiful and simple, but it is swamped over by the rest of the story. It's fine because the rest of the story was good, I just wanted more of the girls!
Worth the time and price of admission, definitely pick this one up. Fair warning though, it will get into your head, I had two dreams about it.
This was one of the most original fantasy stories I've read in a long time. There wasn't a moment where I was thinking how it was kinda like this book or that book. Even though the book is a novel, it read like a short story to me. I say this both because of how fast the book moved and because of some undefinable characteristic. It just 'felt' like a short story.
The world of Twixt is wonderfully inventive with creepy creatures and strange overlords who rule over a scared group of people who call themselves sleepers. None of them know where they are or how they got there. Of course everything changes when the main character is found. Doesn't it always?
The beginning is a little slow and confusing because you are thrown into this new world with the character and have to learn everything with her. As she learns more and more the pace picks up and it becomes a true page turner.
And the love story? Personally, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of it. What's there is beautiful and simple, but it is swamped over by the rest of the story. It's fine because the rest of the story was good, I just wanted more of the girls!
Worth the time and price of admission, definitely pick this one up. Fair warning though, it will get into your head, I had two dreams about it.
April 20, 2013
Like in Sarah's first novel, The Dark Wife, the core of Twixt is redemption, the idea that any of us, no matter our pasts or what others believe us to be, can be redeemed. And that love can bring out the best in us. But Twixt is a much different story than The Dark Wife.
In Twixt, we begin with a mystery. Who is the girl who appeared in the ice and snow, covered in blood? She doesn't remember. A girl named Charlie finds her, explains about the world of Twixt, about Abeo City. Nobody in Twixt remembers who they are... unless they take Nox, an addictive drug that slowly destroys them. They purchase Nox with clumps of their own hair, though nobody really knows why.
Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, the story's twist took me by surprise. When it was finally revealed what was going on, I let out a sudden 'Oh, wow!' as I read. Few books have done that for me. The action scenes are suspenseful and masterfully written, and the characters are all so distinct and real. Diemer has only gotten better since The Dark Wife, as you will see when you read Twixt. I love both books, I recommend reading them both if you haven't, but she definitely kicked it up a notch with Twixt.
In Twixt, we begin with a mystery. Who is the girl who appeared in the ice and snow, covered in blood? She doesn't remember. A girl named Charlie finds her, explains about the world of Twixt, about Abeo City. Nobody in Twixt remembers who they are... unless they take Nox, an addictive drug that slowly destroys them. They purchase Nox with clumps of their own hair, though nobody really knows why.
Just when I thought I had the mystery figured out, the story's twist took me by surprise. When it was finally revealed what was going on, I let out a sudden 'Oh, wow!' as I read. Few books have done that for me. The action scenes are suspenseful and masterfully written, and the characters are all so distinct and real. Diemer has only gotten better since The Dark Wife, as you will see when you read Twixt. I love both books, I recommend reading them both if you haven't, but she definitely kicked it up a notch with Twixt.
June 18, 2013
Another excellent and creative book by Sarah Diemer. I don't know how she continues to come up with such new and different ideas, but she does. I loved the world and characters she created in Twixt. Lottie is a tortured soul with a shadowed past she comes to regret, and Diemer shares the character a bit at a time so that you love Lottie despite what she was "before." But the reader never feels that these are stereotypes, which is one of Diemer's strengths as a writer. She uses archetypes beautifully. Twixt is rendered in beautifully ugly details that let you easily visualize the place where these characters are trapped, but Diemer deftly allows us to add just enough of our own interpretation. And the ending is simply gorgeous.
June 22, 2017
I liked this lesbian fantasy/mystery quite a bit. The setting was unusual and creative, the connection between the main character and her love interest compelling and sweet, and the story took turns I both expected and didn't expect. I liked how Lottie and Charlie were both brave - love that in a heroine.
The mythology the author used to base the world of Twixt on isn't my favorite, but given the mythology she used, it worked very well.
A lesbian fantasy love story is always a welcome thing to this reader. I've read some other works by this author (really loved The Dark Wife) and will read more.
The mythology the author used to base the world of Twixt on isn't my favorite, but given the mythology she used, it worked very well.
A lesbian fantasy love story is always a welcome thing to this reader. I've read some other works by this author (really loved The Dark Wife) and will read more.
July 18, 2014
4.5 just because I managed to guess who one of the main character really was during the first few chapters.
I was so rooting for Charlie and Lottie. I liked the ending.
What happened to Lottie at the end reminded me of a line I read from somewhere "life is just a chance to grow a soul".. seems like she was given a chance at that and at redemption.
The twists and turns of the story were enjoyable. it's YA+fantasy+mystery+horror+romance rolled into one. It's nice how the writer used the concept of illusions, purgatory, angels (sort of), and lost souls.
I was so rooting for Charlie and Lottie. I liked the ending.
What happened to Lottie at the end reminded me of a line I read from somewhere "life is just a chance to grow a soul".. seems like she was given a chance at that and at redemption.
The twists and turns of the story were enjoyable. it's YA+fantasy+mystery+horror+romance rolled into one. It's nice how the writer used the concept of illusions, purgatory, angels (sort of), and lost souls.
July 3, 2017
Great work
Wow! This book threw me for a loop! I don't want to reveal too much that would spoil the plot, but not everything is as it seems in twixt. For the first time in a while, I have been surprised by the end of a book. Highly recommended for those who like fantasy and dark stories as well as a lesbian subplot.
Wow! This book threw me for a loop! I don't want to reveal too much that would spoil the plot, but not everything is as it seems in twixt. For the first time in a while, I have been surprised by the end of a book. Highly recommended for those who like fantasy and dark stories as well as a lesbian subplot.
June 13, 2020
YES!
+Twist is like a Tim Burton film set. So dark and strange.
+F/F insta-love! They're cute though.
+Short and quick, but...
NO!
-I have no idea what's going on. Sleepers? Snatchers? Sixers? Nox? Memming? Need Shop? Wanting Market? Why is hair the currency?
-Whenever Lottie asks a question about why or what, the answer is always "Because."
+Twist is like a Tim Burton film set. So dark and strange.
+F/F insta-love! They're cute though.
+Short and quick, but...
NO!
-I have no idea what's going on. Sleepers? Snatchers? Sixers? Nox? Memming? Need Shop? Wanting Market? Why is hair the currency?
-Whenever Lottie asks a question about why or what, the answer is always "Because."
December 31, 2016
Didn't like it
Sorry, too dark and sad for my tastes. Too slow in developing and too morbid. I have no idea what lies after death, but I hope this isn't it.
Sorry, too dark and sad for my tastes. Too slow in developing and too morbid. I have no idea what lies after death, but I hope this isn't it.
September 3, 2020
This book feels... Unfinished? Unpolished?
It had such potential but it failed to completely fulfil it. The ending was disappointing. It felt a little like reading only the middle book of a trilogy.
It had such potential but it failed to completely fulfil it. The ending was disappointing. It felt a little like reading only the middle book of a trilogy.
November 10, 2020
A fantastically built fantasy world
If you enjoyed stories such as the Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Gone and the like, this has a similar feel to it because of the in-depth world building that takes place. Everything is very much not okay in the world of Twixt, but the latest Sleeper is about to turn everything on it's head. A great number of plot twists, a little romance and a lot of heart racing and wrenching moments for you to enjoy. Give this book a shot, you will struggle to put it down.
If you enjoyed stories such as the Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Gone and the like, this has a similar feel to it because of the in-depth world building that takes place. Everything is very much not okay in the world of Twixt, but the latest Sleeper is about to turn everything on it's head. A great number of plot twists, a little romance and a lot of heart racing and wrenching moments for you to enjoy. Give this book a shot, you will struggle to put it down.
February 4, 2024
4.5 stars
Beautiful writing, spooky atmosphere, lovely characters and a twist that was both expected and completely surprising at the same time. I mean, I’d guessed a part of it, but the rest blew me away. I completely loved the supernatural elements and I was actually surprised by how much I’d started to care for Lottie and Charlie in such a short amount of time.
A story both dark and sublime that utterly captured my attention from its first striking scene.
Beautiful writing, spooky atmosphere, lovely characters and a twist that was both expected and completely surprising at the same time. I mean, I’d guessed a part of it, but the rest blew me away. I completely loved the supernatural elements and I was actually surprised by how much I’d started to care for Lottie and Charlie in such a short amount of time.
A story both dark and sublime that utterly captured my attention from its first striking scene.
September 6, 2017
What a fun little book.
Twixt is the epitome of YA. Interesting yet brief world-building? Check. Likable strong female lead? Check. Romantic subplot? Check. Plot twist? Check. And it does it all well. Twixt is proof that we don't have to completely abandon common tropes in order to write a good book. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of it, it's just that a lot of authors have attempted these things and failed. It takes a book like this to remember how good successful YA can be.
Twixt is the epitome of YA. Interesting yet brief world-building? Check. Likable strong female lead? Check. Romantic subplot? Check. Plot twist? Check. And it does it all well. Twixt is proof that we don't have to completely abandon common tropes in order to write a good book. There's nothing inherently wrong with any of it, it's just that a lot of authors have attempted these things and failed. It takes a book like this to remember how good successful YA can be.
August 21, 2018
About third of the way through this book I almost quit - that would have been a big mistake, as soon after the story really kicked off, Don't want to give away anything to spoil the enjoyment of this book but there is a big twist, surprising revelation and a cute little romance (that adds to the story not detracts like these usually do)
Conclusion - don't be put off by the first few chapters your perseverance will pay off big time.
Conclusion - don't be put off by the first few chapters your perseverance will pay off big time.
April 16, 2019
3.75
Perhaps because of all the mythological content I've taken in over the years I had all the big reviles figured out before the first chapter was over. I also wasn't that blown away with the ending but on some level I did appreciate it. Over all what hooked me and made this worth a higher ratng was Diemer's writing style. It was lovely without being over done. I don't know when I will get the chance but I plan on checking out anything else by Diemer that I can.
Perhaps because of all the mythological content I've taken in over the years I had all the big reviles figured out before the first chapter was over. I also wasn't that blown away with the ending but on some level I did appreciate it. Over all what hooked me and made this worth a higher ratng was Diemer's writing style. It was lovely without being over done. I don't know when I will get the chance but I plan on checking out anything else by Diemer that I can.
April 2, 2022
Diemer’s ability to describe in such a way that is both clear and vague allows readers to feel into sensations and dive into the crafty world of Twixt. It’s impossible to not grow attached to her characters. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an interesting light read.
August 13, 2024
This books needs to be a movie. Finished in one day. Every page you read just have to know what happens next. Such a unique world. I just loved this book so much. Can’t wait to read the other books from this author.
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